Mechanism for actuating pivoted type bars



Oct. 7, 1930.

M. GARBELL MECHANIS FOR AGTUATING PIVOTED TYPE BARS Filed Dec. 5, 1927 jvvenzor.'

Max Garlaelf 'ZI/fines:

Patented ct. 7, 1930 FF I C E BELL, F CHCAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 VICTOR ADDING-MACHIN E COM- EAINY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS FOR ACTUATING PIVOTED TYPE BARS' Application led December 5, 1927. Serial No. 237,595.

machines as have a top-strike type of platen.

This invention is an improvement upon that disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial ho. 720,255, tiled June 16, 1924, for typewriting machines, and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

IOne or' the objects of my invention is to provide a type-bar actuating mechanism which, by virtue of the particular arrangement of the parts, will have a smooth and positive movement of the type-bar, and comprises a method of linkage between the key levers and the' said type-bars which makes the mechanism operate with a very slight shock to the iingers of the operator, and inr which the action is characterized by a peculiar resilience, very much desired especially in such machines that are to operate with a minimum of eii'ort and-of noise.

The typewriter action which forms my present invention comprises a pivoted keylever having the general shape of a bellcrank, the longer shank of which constitutes the key-lever and the shorter shank of which is bifurcate and is connected with an intermediate lever by means of a pin and roller thereon, and which intermediate lever is provided With a gear segment intermeshing with a gear on a pivoted type-bar so that by depression of the key-lever the type-bar and characters borne thereby may be propelled toward and make contact with the platen of the typewriter.

Provision is also made in accordance with my invention for the actuation of one or more universal bars that operate the escapenient and the ribbon mechanism of the typewriter, and, furthermore, I also provide for so-called dead keys, which, while they will actuate the type-bar, will not actuate the escapement universal bar all of which will be plainly shown in connection with the drawings and description which is to follow hereinbelow.

The figures in the drawing accompanying the present specication show:

Figure 1 as a transverse sectional elevational view of my improved type-bar actuating mechanism in the initial position; and

Fig. 2 showing the same mechanism in the position it assumes when the type are making contact with the platen of the typewriter.

Referring to Fig. l, I have provided a type-bar 1 having a pivot 2 and provided with a number of teeth 3 at the end nearest the pivot and provided with a plurality of type characters 4 at its free end so arranged as to be capable of striking a suitable platen 5. A gear segment 6 borne on an intermediate lever 7 having a pivot 8 intermeshes with the aforesaid gears 3. The said intermediate lever 7 also is provided with a pin and rollerl 9 which are in engagement with the bifurcate end 10 which latter forms the terminus of the shank 11 of the key-lever 12, which said key-lever has a pivot 12a, and is provided with a suitable key 13. There is also provided a universal bar 14.- carried upon suitable arms 15 and which universal bar actuates the carriage escapement mechanism, not shown on the drawing. It will be seen that the saidl intermediate lever 7 has a laterally projecting lug 18 and which lug 18, upon theu movement of the intermediate lever 7, will so raise the universal bar 14 and as a result thereof will actuate the carriage escapement mechanism, as is Well understood in the typewriter art.

The downwardly projecting lug 16 of the intermediate lever 7 is connected with the shank 11 of the bell-crank key-lever 12 by a spring 17.

The action of my present mechanism is substantially as follows, namely; the depression of the key-lever 12 will cause the same to turn on its pivot 12HL and by reason of the engagement of the roller 9 with the bifurcate end 10 of the said lever arm 11 will compel the movement of the intermediate lever 7 about its pivot 8 and as a result thereof and by reason 'of the intermeshing of the gears 6 and 3 will cause the rotation of the type bar l about its pivot 2 until it strikes the platen 5. At the same time, as plainly shown 100 in Fig. 2, the lower projecting lug i6 ot the intermediate lever 7 will have moved further away from the shorter shank 11 oi the bellcrank constituted by the ke -lever l2.

As the spring 17 re-acts etween the extremity of the projection 16 and the shank ll, the said spring i7 will be extended so as to tend to retract not only the key-lever l2 but also the intermediate lever 7 into its original positions. A suitable cushioned stop 19 being provided to retain the type-har l at its lowest position, or normal position at rest, there will be a slight tension between the downwardly projecting lug 16 and the shank l1 at all times, so that although the pin and roller 9 which engage the biiurcate end l0 oi the key-lever 12 is not necessarily a very tight joint, there will, hy virtue ot the tension exerted by the spring 17, be obtained the eiiect oti a non-rattling type action, which nevertheless yields at a slight touch, and provides a resilient and snappy action didering hoth in its feel and eh'ect from the ordinary type action already known.

'lhe form of construction shown in my present invention-also maires it possible to render 'the type-bar action practically noiseless. The general principle underlying the production oi a relatively noiseless printing action is so to proportion the sizes and shapes oi the various levers in a type-har action so as to arrest the type-bar at the exact point where it makes Contact with the paper or the platen. ln other words, this is accomplished y providing inherent stopping means that prevent the type-har trom moving any 'lun ther than reuired even though the platen were remover y 1 l ln my present invention this desirable tea ture is present, and resides in the peculiar conguration ci the hey-lever l2 and the rela tive position of thebiiurcate end lll of said lever and the location of the pin and roller 9 on the intermediate gear segment lever 7 As will he seen from Fig. 2, the movement in space of the pin and roller 9 on the gear segment lever 7 will be on a circle having its center at the pivot 8. As the bifurcate end of the key-lever describes a circle having its. center at l2, and as this circle intersects the circle having its center at 8, it will be obvious then as soon as the roller 9 and the bifurcate endl() of the key-lever 12 begin receding from each other, as they would ifA the key-lever were further depressed, this movement would he stopped by the engagement voi the roller with said bii'urcate end. A study of Figs. l and 2 will render this self-evident.

The s ring 17 takes up the shock incidental to t e stopping of the mechanism occasioned by the roller 9 reaching the lowest possible point of its engagement with the bifurcate end of the key-lever so that the mechanism will stop quietly and without any great shock. At the same instant the type d on the type-bar l contact with the platen, so that there will be a quiet contact instead of a hammer blow which latter is the cause of the clattering noise made by the ordinary typewriter action.-

lt will he noticed that when the type-bar l. is in the printing position that the sdewardly projecting lug 18 oi the intermediate lever 7 will contact with and raise the universal bar 1li. ln order to provide dead keys, namely such as shall actuate only the typebar without releasing the carriage escapement it suiiices to leave oh the projection 18 for such levers, in which case, obviously, the universal bar le will not be actuated.

This is an extremely simple way of providing for a dead lrey, as it does not require a single extra part, and as also an key on the typewriter may be rendered a dyead 7 key by the simple expedient of cutting o the lug i8 so that it will not even he necessa to carry special parts, such a's an interme iate lever, in stock; all of which contribute to the simplicity ot the assembly of the typewriting machine.

ff-i iurther advantage accruing from the construction as shown in my present inven-s tion, is the elimination oi the cornh usually employed for attaching theretracting spring as in the present case both ends ci the spring are attached to parte that also perform other functions.

li the spring is made strong enough it will ohviate the necessity for any iurther retract ing means for returning the mechanism toits normal position after a stroke.

@hvious niodications in the shape and location et the various parts ot the mechanismare to he understood as being within the scope oi my present invention tor which l claim: 1

l. ln a type-har mechanism for typewrit ers, a pivoted type-bar having gears at ite. pivoted end, a gear segment intermeshing with said gears, said gear segment heing provided with a pin and roller and a projecting lidi? arm extending in a direction opposite to that of the teeth on said gear segment, a key-lever `having a hifurcate end, connection between said pin and roller and biurcate end, and resilient means connecting said projection and said key-lever.

2. ln a type-bar mechanism fortypewriters, a pivoted key-lever having a biiurcate end, an intermediate gear segment havin a roller and pin thereon, a'pivoted typear having gears intermeshing with said gear segment, a universal bar, an arm projecting laterally from said gear segment and capable of contacting with said universal bar, a downwardly projecting arm on said gear segment, and resilient means connecting said latter arm with the said key-lever.

'3. In a type-bar action mechanism for' typewriters, the combination oi a bell-crank bifurcate'at one end and an intermediate lever of the t-hird class actuated by engagement of a pin thereon with said bifurcate end, and resilient means connectin one end of said intermediate lever with the ifurcate end of said bell-crank and acting to retain in, and to return to, normalposition both said intermediate lever and said bell-crank.

4. In a type-bar action mechanism for typewriters, the combination of a bell-crank bifurcate at one end and an intermediate lever of the third'class actuated by engagement of a pin thereon with said bifurcate end, and a spring connecting one end of said intermediate lever with the bifurcate end of the bell-crank and acting to retain in, and to return to, normal position both said intermediate lever and said bell-crank.

5. In a type-bar mechanism for typewriters, the combination of a pivoted typebar, a pivoted key-lever and -a pivoted gear segment providing a connection between the key-lever and the type-bar, the pivot of the key-lever and said gear segment being arranged adjacent to each other, the key-lever being connected to said gear segment between the ends of said gear segment, said gear segment having an arm extending downwardly therefrom, and a spring connected to said arm and reacting between said arm and said ke -1ever.

6. In a typear action mechanism for typewriters, the combination of a pivoted gear ydriven type-bar, a pivoted ke -lever bifurcate at one end and having a ey at the other end, an intermediate gear segment intermeshing with said geared type-bar, a downwardly extending arm on said gear segment, a pin and roller on said gear segment engaging the bifurcate end of the said keylever, a s ring connecting the key-lever and the said ownwardly extending arm, and a laterally extending arm on said intermediate ever.

7 In a type-bar action mechanism adapted to be used in a typewriter embodying carriage escapement means, the combination of a universal bar, a pivoted gear-toothed typebar, a pivoted key-lever bifurcate at one end and having a key at the other end, an intern mediate gear segment intermeshing with said gear-toothed type-bar,a downwardly extending arm on said gear segment, a pin and roller on said gear segment engaging the bifurcate end of said key-lever, a spring con.

necting said key-lever and said downwardly extended arm, and an arm extending laterally from said intermediate lever for engaging and actuating said universal bar upon depression of said key.

8. In a type-bar action mechanism adapted to be used in a typewriter embodying carriage escapement means, the combination of a universal bar, a pivoted gear-toothed typebar, a pivoted key-lever bifurcate at one end and having a key at the other end, an intermediate ear segment intermeshing with sa1d gear-toot ed type-bar,a downwardly extendin arm on said gear segment, a pin and ro ler on said gear segment engaglng the bifurcate end of said key-lever, a sprmg connectin said key-lever and sald downwardly exten lng arm, and an arm extending laterally from said intermediate lever for engaging and actuating sald universal bar upon depression of said key, sa1d laterally extending arm being adapted to removed so that depression of said key w1ll not eiect actuation of said universal bar means.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. v

MAX GARBELL. 

